Planograph co



L. W. CROMPTON.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION H LED MAR. 28.1918.

Patented J uly 22, 1919 A TTOR/VE Y THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm. WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT onmo LIONEL W. CROMPTON, 0F TAMPA, FLORIDA GAME APP R TUS.

To all whomz't may concern: I I a Be it lmown that I, LIONEL W. CRoMPToN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tampa, in the county of Hillsborough and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrition, a V

y' invention has forits object to provide a game apparatus with which may be played an interesting and instructive game, a great variety of plays being possible which permit of many formations for offensive and defensive campaigns. a l a Additional objects of the invention will appear in the following specification in which the preferred form of my invention is described. V a v v In the drawings similarreferencecharacters refer to similar parts in all the views, in which s Figurel is a plan view illustratingthe board used in connection withmy game apparatus; and

j Figs. 2 and 3 are viewsillus'trating the character of pieces used .i iliplaying the game-Q '-l.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my game apparatus includes 1 a board 5 having at opposite corners, capitals or goals 6 and 6*. There are paths leading from the said goals, each path consisting of a plurality of squares 7 which contact with each other and which have at their sides, lateral squares 8.

1 As indicated by the pointer. 9, which points from the capital 6,the-path 7 from z the capital 6 atthe upperleft hand 'sideof the board extends, horizontally to; the right "of the board at 10; then down tothe square 11; then horizontally to the, left to the square. 12; then down to the square 13'; thence hoizontally to theright to the square 14; and thence down to the square 15 and to the left. V l f In a somewhat: similar manner,the path leading from theficapital 6 at the lower I right hand cornerofthe board, extends vertically asi'indicated by. the pointer 9, the

path extending upwardly to the square 10; theneeto the left to the square. 16; downwardly to the square 17 tothe left to the 4 Specification of Letters Patent. J Patented July 22 1919, Applieation file d March 28, 191s. s riai-nb. 225,305.

square 18; upwardly to the square 19; to the left to the square 20; and downwardly in this manner.- 1 .There A are marked on certain of the squares which have been referred to, positions21, and at two sides of each of these positions 21 there are three marks 22 on the board indicating stations, one. of these stations being indicated on the central line of squares and the other two sets :22 being indicated on the lateral squares which have been referred to."

e As, Will appear, the game is arranged for two players, itbeingpossible for the players to develop a great deal of skill handling of their pieces and by availing themselves of their opponents ill luck or mistakes. One ofthe players is'assigned one of the capitals 6 and his opponent being assigned the other'capital. The game is preferably played with each player having a kingand twenty'units, the kings being indicatedby the reference characters 23 and the units by the'reference characters 24. If des' the number of units may be increased or reduced. 1 l

,In' playing the game, the object of each player is to capture his opponents capital and place his king in the said capital or to capture his opponents king in the field. This makes'itnecessary for each player to defend his own capital and his own king from capture. Any desired means may be employed such as dice or a disk having numbers and a pivoted arm to determine the number of the move which is to be made, each player having his king and all his units at his capital prior to the first play.

The first to play" spins the arrow or throws a -dice, as may be desired, and if he is successful in obtaining 1 or 5, he is permitted to bring out his king fromhis capital, it being' necessary to bring out the king before any of theunits may be moved from, the capital', and it is also necessaryto obtain 1 'or 5 in the play with the dice or with the arrow in order that either the king or a unit be moved forwardly from the capital. The king and the units from the capital '6? move a in the. direction indicated by the pointer 9 and the arrows 25; the king and units from'the capital 6 moving therefrom in the direction indicated by the pointer 9 and by the arrows 26.

When bringing the king or unit from the capital, it is necessary to place the king or unit the exact number of spaces from the capital which are indicated-by the dice or by the pointer, but after the king or unit has been moved from the capital, the king or unit may be advanced either the exact number of squares indicated by the dice or by the arrow, or double that number of squares. It is necessary for the player to use his own judgment as to the advisability of doubling the number indicated by the dice or arrow. In every case the king or any single unit should be advanced along the central line paths as indicated by the arrows and 26. When forced to give up a position, a unit or units must be moved rearwardly if they cannot be moved forwardly or on either flank. At all other times a king or unit may be moved forwardly but not rearwardly.

. When a player has placed a unit on one of the positions 21, he bars the further progress of his opponent and it is necessary for his opponent to compel him to give up this position before proceeding further. A'position is captured by bringing up three units 24 and placing them on the stations 22 in front of the said position 21. VVhena player has succeeded in placing two ofhis units on stations 22, they are safe from attack, but when only one unit has been placed on a station 22 in front of the position 21,

the single unit placed on a station22 is liable to capture by the player having a unit on a position 21, provided, of course, he is disposed to give up his position to make this capture which he could do if in throwing the dice or spinning the arrow 1 was indicated. However, it is not necessary for the player to make this capture if 1 is indicated by the dice or the arrow, as he may desire to move another unit out of his capital.

When a player has succeeded in placing three units on the stations 22 in front of the position 21 occupied by a unit of his opponent, the player in possession of the position 21 must at his next move give up this position by moving his unit and if it is impossible for him to move his unit forward, he must move his unit backward.

When a player has placed two of his units across the path followed by his opponent, he bars his opponents forward movement, and it is necessary for the opponent to bring up three of his units and place them directly facing the two units which have blocked the path. When these three units have been:

properly placed it is necessary for the player who has blocked the path with two units to move one at his next play. Of course, after the player has movedone of the said two units, the other unit is liable to capture if the desired number is obtained by the throw of the dice or by spinning the arrow on the dial. i

It should be understood that the first unit captured by either side is placed in the prison indicated at 1-7, and thereafter every alternate unit captured by either side is placed in this prison, the remaining units captured being taken out of the game.

\Vhen either player reaches the position 28 indicated by the letter K at the center of the board, and takes possession of the same by placing a unit thereon, the player holding the said position 28-obtainsa decided advantage in the further play, for the player holding the said position 28 can shorten to a considerable extent his line of attack on the capital of his opponent. This is so, for while in most cases it is necessary for the player having the capital 6 to move his pieces horizontally from one side of the board to the other and for the player having the capital 6 to move his pieces vertically from the bottom to the top of the board and back again to the bottom and so on, when the player having the capital 6 occupies the position 28, it is possible for him tomove his units either to the square 29 or it is possible for him to turn his units 30' or 31 so that the units at squares will move down to the square 32 or 33, and hence to the right in the direction of the capital 6*. However,

should the player having the capital 6 have i i lost some of his units which arein the prison 27, it will be necessaryfor him to advance one of his units in the regular path to release his units which have been placed in the prison 27. In a similar manner the player having the capital 6 may shorten his path by making the turns at the squares 34 or 35 and again at the squares 36 or 37.

When the player occupyingthe capital 6 finds that the player occupying the capital 6 i is about to make an attack on his capital, he brings out units to hold the positions 21 and 21"; which defend'his capital. 'It is necessary'for him to dothis by obtaining 1 or 5 in the throwing of the dice or by the spinning of the arrow on the dial, The positions 21 and 21 are taken in the same manner as has'been described with reference to the position 21, but it will be understood that the position may be retaken by the player having the capital 6 after the player having the capital 6 has advanced one or twoofhis units, unless the player having the capital 6 takes the precaution of occupying the position with one of his units.

When the player having the capital 6 has been successful in opening a path for his king, it is necessary, for himto complete his conquest by placing his king in thecapital 6 This, he does by'advancing his king in manner described; If it should require three squares to move the king into the capital, a 3 must be thrown by the dice or be indicated by the arrow, or a 1 and a 2. It should be understood that if the player occupying the capital 6 neglects to protect his king by holding the positions 21 and 21 the player having the capital 6" by a fortunate throw may capture the king of the player having the capital 6, and win the game just at the moment when the player having the capital6 expects to obtain a victor Iii will be understood that when the units in the prison 27 have been released, they may be advanced in the same manner that the units are advanced which have not been captured. In playing the game, the followin points should be remembered That a, player cannot pass a position 21 held by his opponent until the position has been vacated by his opponent.

That a player cannot pass his opponents line when his opponent has placed two units directly across his path.

That a player must station three un1ts on the stations 22 in order to compel his opponent to give up any position 21 which may be held by him.

That a player may move his king or any of his units over a position held'by him.

That the king cannot take or hold any position and that he cannot opposeor capture the opposing king.

That each player should obstruct his opponent as much as possible.

That each player should see that his units are kept together for combination plays.

That every other unit captured by a' player must be placed. in the prison, the others being taken out of the game.

That each player should take steps to guard his king from surprise attack and to guard his units against a flank attack which may develop at any time.

That each player should reserve at least two of his units to protect his capital from direct attack.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a game apparatus, a board divided into a plurality of squares by lines on the board, the squares at opposite corners of the board being indicated as capitals or goals, and each of the other squares being Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the divided into a plurality of squares by lines distinguishable from the first lines.

2. In a game apparatus, a board divided into a plurality of squares by lines on the board, the squares at opposite corners of the board being indicated as capitals or goals, and each of the other squares being divided into nine smaller squares by lines. 3. In a game apparatus, a board divided into a plurality of squares by lines on the board, the squares at opposite corners of the board being indicated as capitals or goals and each of the other squares being divided into nine smaller squares by lines distinguishable from the first-mentioned lines.

4. In a game apparatus, a board divided into a plurality of squares by lines on the board, the squares at opposite corners of the board being indicated as capitals or goals, a square at one of the other corners being designated as prison, each of the other squares being divided into a plurality of squares by lines distinguishable from the first lines.

5. In a game apparatus, a board having two sets of paths, one set of paths being disposed at an angle to and intersecting the other set of paths at a plurality of points and each set of paths leading to capitals or goals at corners of the board, certain of the intersecting points being designated by characters and two sets of characters disposed adjacent each of the first mentioned characters.

6. In a game apparatus, a board divided into forty-nine squares by lines on the board the squares at opposite corners of the board being indicated as capitals or goals, each of the other squares being divided into a plurality of squares by lines, and a character indicating the center square.

7. In a game apparatus, a board divided into forty-nine squares by lines on the board,

the squares at opposite corners of the board being indicated as capitals or goals, the other squares being divided each into nine smaller squares by lines, characters indicated on the center square of the board and on certain of the center squares in the firstmentioned squares, and two sets of characters on the smaller outside squares in the larger squares on which the firstmentioned characters are indicated.

LIONEL W. GROMPTON.

Washington, D. G. 

